Cleaning device



April 25, 1933. J. B. FARQUHAR CLEANING DEVICE Filed June 20. 1931 3 J.Mmm

/ /lillxIllllllllllllllllll w mf/My Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT om@ JOHN B FARQUHAB, on'cnroneo, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR 'rOOHAMPIoNCORPORATION, OF' n i CHICAGO ILLINQIS. ACORPORATIQN OFILLINOIS e fCLEANING DEVICE e Application med June 20,

This invention relates to cleaningdevices and particularly to an'article ofthe class described having fluid yabsorbing and retainingproperties of a high character.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use in cleaningautomobiles, or other devices having similar highly polished surfaces,and among other objects the inventionis intended to krovide an articleof the classdescribed which is capable of absorbing andV retaining alarge quantity of fluid, preferably Water, for cleaning pur-` poses.' nv Y Another object of the invention is. to pro vide an article of theclass described from whichthe absorbed Water orl other fluid Vmay bemanually and readily expelled.

Another object of theinvention is to provide an article which will notbecomematted when saturated or moistened with fluid, and which will notbecome knotted in al manner to produce hard portions ,which Would tendto scratch or mar the surface being cleaned or otherwise treated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device havinga softpliable surface of substantially uniform appearance and cleaningqualities. Y

A still further object ofthe invention is to improve an article of theclass described in sundry details hereinafter referred to andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown for illustrativepurposes in the accompanying drawing, in which Y n Fig. lis anelevational view of the cleaning device embodying features of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the improved cleaningvdevice,the braided or Woven tubular strands of absorbent material havingbeen'removed from one side thereof to facilitate the illustratingV ofthe preferred arrangement of the apertures formed in the envelopecomprising the body portion of the device; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken subst'antiallyas indicated bythe line 3-3 of Fig; 1;

1931;` serial No. 545,718.

Fig. 4 isI an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of thedevice embodying the presentv invention, and illustrating the mannerofsecuring a .plurality of braided tubular strands Vadjacent the eXtremeedge of the envelope; y

. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vievv of a carrier strip and strand assemblyadapted to'besecured to the body of the device forming ya part of thepresent invention ;r and Q Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectionalvieW through one of the strands embodied in the present inventionandillustratingpthe hollow tubular form thereof. f j" The illustrativeembodiment of the present invention comprises a body portion shown inthe present instance as `an envelope preferably of' elongated, oval orelliptical form, indicated as a Whole by thenurneral 1Q and comprising,in the ypresent instance, avpairqo'r of Lsuitably formed `front `andback portions or pieces l1 and l2,irespectively, .stitched1t0- getherand covered throughout their-edge portions Witha bindingstrip 13, in amanner to form aclosed envelope or container having a hollow Centrallportionadapted to ,receive a suitable resilient pliable material ylllcapable of absorbing and retaininga` considerable quantity of-Water or,other cleaning fluid, the Y material 14 being shown, in the present innostance, as a plurality of pieces of sponge, a material which has beenfound mostdesirable for the purpose intended, namely, that of.absorbingjand retaining a considerable quantity of Water or othercleaning fluid, it being understood `that other materials may beemployed if found desirable Without departing fromthe spirit of thepresent invention.V Y f The elongated, oval or elliptical forI'n-fofenvelope has been founddesirable in that it enables the user to graspthe device in both hands, and facilitatesvthe. expelling-of thefluidfrom ythe device When desired, it being understood that an envelopeof other form than that mentionedjrnay` beemployed if found desirable,or convenient..V .fl

To resist l.the deteriorating eectofv vvater and distillates lof'petroleum, or the like on thefdevice, the bedr pertimx 1.0 thleefcis fwoformed preferably of a chemically treated materialsuch as drill or otherclosely woven fabric, and, preferably, both the front and back pieces 11and 12 are provided with apertures 16 through which water entering theinterior of the envelope may be drained `off or expelled. 1

Secured to the front side of the envelope 10, and, if desired, to therear side thereof also, preferably by lmeans of Ystitching 17, are aplurality of carrier strips 18, 19 and 20 on which are mounted aplurality of braided, tubular, preferably overlapping strands 21 ofabsorbent material.V These -strandsrare secured preferably adjacenttheir central portions to the strips 18, 19 and 20 by means of stitching22 along the edges of the strip in a manner to secure the centralportion of the strands in fixed position with respect to the strip, andto permit the opposite ends of the strands to hang or move free andassume any natural position according to the cleaning operations of thedevice.

` The braided tubular formation of the strands 21 provides a structurecapable of absorbing and retaining a vast amount of fluid such as water,and from which the fluid may be readily expelled by squeezing in themanner employed in expelling water from a sponge, or the like.Furthermore, the structure ofthe strands serves to eliminate inatting ofthe absorbent material and prevents the formation of knots or hardportions which would tend to scratch or mar the surface being cleaned orotherwise treated.

'A device of the character described provides material advantages overcleaning devices at present in-use, particularly Sponges, or the like,in that the present invention provides a structure which is strong,durable and not easily torn or ruptured as frequently happens in the useof other devices, particularly Sponges, or the like, which are of suchdelicate character that unless carefully used, are easily ruptured andsoon become unfit for further use. y Y

For providing substantially uniform distribut-ion of the strands 21throughout the working surfaces of the device, the carrier strips 18, inthe present instance, arersecured in sub;- stantially loop-shapedformation to the front and rear sides of the device, preferably adjacent the marginal edge thereof, while the strips y19 are secured insubstantially loopshaped formation to the front and rear portions 11 and12 Vof the envelope 10, preferably within the strips 18, andysubstantially straight strips 2() are secured tothe front and rearportions, preferably within the loop-shaped strip 19, thus -insuringasubstantial body of strands adjacent that portion of the device wherethe greatest pressure is applied in the cleaning operation, andprotecting the surface to bc cleaned from contact with the hardermaterial of the body portion or envelope 10.

being cleaned or otherwise treated vfrom contact therewith.

. It will be apparent also that the improved cleaning device may beemployed for polishing or dusting as well as for washing purposes and,as previously stated, the vcarrier strips and strands may be secured toeither one or both sides of the body portion, 'as desired.

Obviously, the present invention not limited to the preciselconstruction and arrangement shown and described, as the same may bevariously modified without departing from the spirit of my invention.Moreover, all the features `of the present invention need not be usedconjointly as the same may be used to advantage in variously differentcombinai tions and sub-combinations within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is: v

1. An article of the class described comprising a closed envelope, and aplurality of relatively long braidedstrands vof absorbent materialsecured adjacent their een ral portions to opposite sides of saidenveope. Y

2. An article of the class described. comprising an envelopehavinglapertures formed therein and containing aiiuid absorbing Yandretainingmaterial, and a plurality of relatively long closely positionedbraided tubular strands of absorbent material secured to said envelope.

3. An article `of theclass' described com'- prising an envelope of waterproof material having apertures formed therein, a Huid absorbing andfluid retaining sponge material positioned in'said envelope, carrierstrips secured to the envelope, and a plurality of braided tubularstrandsY of absorbent material secured adjacent their central portionsto said strips. .Y

4. An article of the classdescribed comprising an elongated closedenvelope, sponge material in said envelope, a plurality of carrierstrips having a plurality of'closely positioned tubular braided strandssecured thereto and extending substantiallyv transversely 5 of, a,second strip of substantially loop-shaped form secured to the envelopeWithin said last mentioned loop-shaped strip, and a substantiallystraight strip secured to said envelope adj aeent the central portionthereof and within said second loop-shaped strip.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of June,A. D. 1931.

JOHN B. FARQUHAR;

